Jay Myers
Michael Regina
Jeremy Treece
Introduction:
I am absolutely ecstatic to be able to feature another great round of artists for this article series. All three of these creators generously agreed to be featured in this article, and I want extend them my gratitude for that. Finding a way to give back to some of the great artists in the community is the least that I can do to show my appreciation for the inspiration they have provided. All three of these artists are very good about interacting on social media, and if you like their work I would encourage you to start a conversation with them about it. Find a way to let the creators know that you are enjoying their work. Without any further ado, here are three more artists that you should be following.
I am absolutely ecstatic to be able to feature another great round of artists for this article series. All three of these creators generously agreed to be featured in this article, and I want extend them my gratitude for that. Finding a way to give back to some of the great artists in the community is the least that I can do to show my appreciation for the inspiration they have provided. All three of these artists are very good about interacting on social media, and if you like their work I would encourage you to start a conversation with them about it. Find a way to let the creators know that you are enjoying their work. Without any further ado, here are three more artists that you should be following.
Jay Myers:
Website: http://www.mrjaymyers.com/
Creator Owned Property: The Adventures of Tomy and Jon
Twitter: @mrjaymyers
Instagram: mrjaymyers
Website: http://www.mrjaymyers.com/
Creator Owned Property: The Adventures of Tomy and Jon
Twitter: @mrjaymyers
Instagram: mrjaymyers
The Adventures of Tomy and Jon Analysis:
The Adventures of Tomy and Jon is long running comic-strip style webcomic. An adventurous story with a wonderful format, if you have not read this story yet I highly recommend it. This recommendation come with an emphasis placed on story. Jay has a special affinity for the title of storyteller, and personally I have always truly identified with it as well. It can be hard to specifically define, but you can always spot a high quality story when you see it. A story that cuts to the purity that resides in true storytelling. It manifests itself in a lot of different ways, but these stories frequently transcend genre, audience, and style. These stories teach, enlighten, and enhance the reader. I love stories with such sincerity in their feeling and craftsmanship. I would summarize the content of this webcomic with more specificity, but I think the introduction to it is aptly described by this post from Jay:
I had always felt life first as a story:
and if there is a story there is a story-teller.
—G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
Today’s parents have an array of comics and children’s books to choose from in various forms: ebooks, books, and web comics and stories. With this wide range comes the difficulty of finding something that is morally strong and looks good.
Children need tales of wonder and risk, without being forced into glossed over accounts where everything’s perfect or into bleak apocalyptic tales where humanity fails all the time. Truth, is in the ups and downs of a story.
The nature of the dragon lies not in flesh and bone, but within.
It’s spirit is a mix of death and greed and sin.
It moves from person to person devouring the gold in them.
Then it makes it’s nest right beneath their skin.
— Mine, Consider the Ravens (a collection of short tales, rhymes, and proverbs)
I’ve been a storyteller all my life. I’ve grown. I’ve learned. And over the last 18 years or so, I have been crafting stories through: advertising, design, user experience, but mostly in telling tales by the bedside of my six children.
The Adventures of Tomy and Jon is my first webcomic. This western fairytale was born from bedtime stories I told my two oldest boys—starting nearly ten years ago and into the present. I began this tale as a fun way to create myths that speak of bravery, vigorousness, and the limitless wonder that God placed in this floating ship we call, earth.
Since then, I’ve been working every moment I can to hone my skills and to create stories that speak truth. While this work began for my children, I know that children of other parents will enjoy it as well.
This webcomic has adventures about people being brave, strong, and able as well as fearful, weak willed, and unskilled. I have tried to make this comic as all-age as possible. I realize that is difficult in today’s climate when some kids are watching vampires at the age of three and others haven’t seen them by the age of 14. That said, beware: I use guns and hunting, battles and death, good and evil too, but all as part of the wardrobe in this story. The Wild West is the stage and the western kids will be using gear and some attitudes that is appropriate for this timeframe. The characters will make mistakes, but some of them will learn and grow.
What do you think? Are you ready to join in a story that plays out on the last Wild Western frontier between the forces of good and evil? I hope so.
If all this interests you and you know others who might be interested too, please help get the word out. You can do this by:
- buying original art,
- sharing this site on social media (below),
- staying in touch: sign up for my newsletter here
Jay
If this post cannot get you excited to read a story, then I am not sure what will.
Fan Art Analysis:
I always love to see how an artist will interpret a long standing character or property, and Jay adds a great stylistic quality to some classic characters. If you enjoy highly illustrative work, with energy and passion then Jay is the artist for you. I enjoy his use of line weight, anatomical choices, and contrast. I love when illustrations feel energetic and lively, and Jay has a lot of those qualities ring through his work. Always looking for a new and fresh perspective, if you sift through some of Jay's blog posts you know that he takes his direction very seriously. If you are looking to emulate a little of the Jay Myers magic, I suggest you visit his site and take a gander at the 15 minute art challenge. These parameters can help channel some of the energy that he creates so fluidly.
I always love to see how an artist will interpret a long standing character or property, and Jay adds a great stylistic quality to some classic characters. If you enjoy highly illustrative work, with energy and passion then Jay is the artist for you. I enjoy his use of line weight, anatomical choices, and contrast. I love when illustrations feel energetic and lively, and Jay has a lot of those qualities ring through his work. Always looking for a new and fresh perspective, if you sift through some of Jay's blog posts you know that he takes his direction very seriously. If you are looking to emulate a little of the Jay Myers magic, I suggest you visit his site and take a gander at the 15 minute art challenge. These parameters can help channel some of the energy that he creates so fluidly.
Michael Regina:
Website: http://www.michaeleregina.com/blog/
Creator Owned Property: Adamsville
Twitter: @michaelregina
Instagram: michaeleregina
Website: http://www.michaeleregina.com/blog/
Creator Owned Property: Adamsville
Twitter: @michaelregina
Instagram: michaeleregina
Adamsville Analysis:
Chances are you have seen the Netflix phenomena Stranger Things, and chances are you marathoned the whole season and now you have a mysterious science-fiction gap that needs to be filled. Adamsville is exactly what you need to be reading. This story has been running on WebToons since July of 2015, and has spanned two books thus far. I don't mind saying that this story is in the flavor of Stranger Things, because it does predate the show. The duration and speed of Michael's run on WebToons has been nothing short of impressive. In the rapidly changing environment for the world of comics, any artist that can command and navigate a WebToons schedule deserves the utmost of respect. To consistently provide quality updates and such a rigorous pace is the mark of an artist that is truly dedicated to the craft. As the popularity of WebToons continues to grow I have no doubt that Adamsville will continue to be a tentpole series for their company.
In addition to providing great content for Adamsville, Michael also contributes useful insight to the world of comics by making some tools available for artists to use. Take a look at the video below to check out a workflow spreadsheet that will help you manage the time crunch that producing a comic can create. Little tips and tricks like this are floating around all the Internet, and if you stumble upon one get the word out.
Chances are you have seen the Netflix phenomena Stranger Things, and chances are you marathoned the whole season and now you have a mysterious science-fiction gap that needs to be filled. Adamsville is exactly what you need to be reading. This story has been running on WebToons since July of 2015, and has spanned two books thus far. I don't mind saying that this story is in the flavor of Stranger Things, because it does predate the show. The duration and speed of Michael's run on WebToons has been nothing short of impressive. In the rapidly changing environment for the world of comics, any artist that can command and navigate a WebToons schedule deserves the utmost of respect. To consistently provide quality updates and such a rigorous pace is the mark of an artist that is truly dedicated to the craft. As the popularity of WebToons continues to grow I have no doubt that Adamsville will continue to be a tentpole series for their company.
In addition to providing great content for Adamsville, Michael also contributes useful insight to the world of comics by making some tools available for artists to use. Take a look at the video below to check out a workflow spreadsheet that will help you manage the time crunch that producing a comic can create. Little tips and tricks like this are floating around all the Internet, and if you stumble upon one get the word out.
Fan Art Analysis:
As stated previously, the Stranger Things vibe is permitting every aspect of Adamsville. As soon as I saw (on Instagram) that Michael was going to work on a Stranger Things piece I was really excited. Sometimes, certain creators work really well with large scale properties, and I think that this is one of those times. I think that composition sits on the forefront of the success of this image. This is an often overlooked aspect of illustration, but I certainly appreciate Michael's eye for it. The duality of the composition perfectly mirrors the duality of the situation, and we could all take some cues from this. Purposely place each component of your image with care, and then worry about the rendering. Where the image is dictates what the image becomes. I love taking cues on how to apply the finer points of composition. As my own work continues to develop, I have started to notice how style is not created simply through the rendering style. Composition is critically important to the effective communication of any image, and any artist can learn from Michael's implementation of it..
As stated previously, the Stranger Things vibe is permitting every aspect of Adamsville. As soon as I saw (on Instagram) that Michael was going to work on a Stranger Things piece I was really excited. Sometimes, certain creators work really well with large scale properties, and I think that this is one of those times. I think that composition sits on the forefront of the success of this image. This is an often overlooked aspect of illustration, but I certainly appreciate Michael's eye for it. The duality of the composition perfectly mirrors the duality of the situation, and we could all take some cues from this. Purposely place each component of your image with care, and then worry about the rendering. Where the image is dictates what the image becomes. I love taking cues on how to apply the finer points of composition. As my own work continues to develop, I have started to notice how style is not created simply through the rendering style. Composition is critically important to the effective communication of any image, and any artist can learn from Michael's implementation of it..
Jeremy Treece:
Website: http://jeremytreece.com/
Creator Owned Property: Patreon Link
Twitter: @JeremyTreece
Instagram: jeremytreece
Website: http://jeremytreece.com/
Creator Owned Property: Patreon Link
Twitter: @JeremyTreece
Instagram: jeremytreece
Comics Analysis:
The world is Patreon is an interesting one to navigate, but when utilized properly it can be an effective comic creation tool. Jeremy has moved back and forth between a few projects on Patreon, but his set up is extremely simple and easy to get on board with. I have always enjoyed his stylistic rendering choices, and after a simple flip through a gallery of his images you can instantly tell his style is completely unique. His line work is so precise and intricate, yet looks entirely fresh with each image. The variety that he employs with each image is true pause for marvel. Take a look at his Pateron page and website, and I am sure you will be hard pressed not to be totally enamored with the personality cascading through his illustration.
The world is Patreon is an interesting one to navigate, but when utilized properly it can be an effective comic creation tool. Jeremy has moved back and forth between a few projects on Patreon, but his set up is extremely simple and easy to get on board with. I have always enjoyed his stylistic rendering choices, and after a simple flip through a gallery of his images you can instantly tell his style is completely unique. His line work is so precise and intricate, yet looks entirely fresh with each image. The variety that he employs with each image is true pause for marvel. Take a look at his Pateron page and website, and I am sure you will be hard pressed not to be totally enamored with the personality cascading through his illustration.
Fan Art Analysis:
I am a sucker for a good Pokemon drawing. With the revolution of Pokemon GO, the Internet seemed to explode with fan art from every direction. Jeremy started a little "gotta sketch em' all" project, and I was happy to oblige. My wife and I had a crazy encounter of our own on the way back from vacation with an Electabuzz, and after I saw Jeremy draw one on Periscope I just could not resist picking it up. If you are interested in Pokemon drawings in the style shown above, I would definitely recommended getting in touch with him about purchasing your own. Pokemon is such a quality property, and when done effectively can look amazing no matter the medium. Jeremy adds a great voice no matter what property he is working with, but you can tell that he really enjoys the work he is doing with Pokemon.
I am a sucker for a good Pokemon drawing. With the revolution of Pokemon GO, the Internet seemed to explode with fan art from every direction. Jeremy started a little "gotta sketch em' all" project, and I was happy to oblige. My wife and I had a crazy encounter of our own on the way back from vacation with an Electabuzz, and after I saw Jeremy draw one on Periscope I just could not resist picking it up. If you are interested in Pokemon drawings in the style shown above, I would definitely recommended getting in touch with him about purchasing your own. Pokemon is such a quality property, and when done effectively can look amazing no matter the medium. Jeremy adds a great voice no matter what property he is working with, but you can tell that he really enjoys the work he is doing with Pokemon.
Conclusion:
I would like to thank all of the creators once again for agreeing to be part of this article. The purpose of this piece was not to simply provide summaries of the comics they are producing, but hopefully to peak your interest enough to go and check them out for yourself.
I love spreading the word about the artists that I love, and I am always looking for recommendations. It is truly a joy to get to talk with creators about their work, and it is the nature of the business to make personal connections because of the personal nature of the stories. I hope to do more of these articles in the future, and that it creates a little hub where creators can learn about one another. If you have any suggestions or are interested in being a part of a feature like this yourself, do not hesitate to let me know.
I would like to thank all of the creators once again for agreeing to be part of this article. The purpose of this piece was not to simply provide summaries of the comics they are producing, but hopefully to peak your interest enough to go and check them out for yourself.
I love spreading the word about the artists that I love, and I am always looking for recommendations. It is truly a joy to get to talk with creators about their work, and it is the nature of the business to make personal connections because of the personal nature of the stories. I hope to do more of these articles in the future, and that it creates a little hub where creators can learn about one another. If you have any suggestions or are interested in being a part of a feature like this yourself, do not hesitate to let me know.